World Cup 2026 at a glance
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the first 48-team edition in tournament history, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — the first ever three-nation co-hosting. 104 matches across 16 cities and 16 stadiums, played between June 11 and July 19, 2026. The opening match is at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City; the final is at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on July 19.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Edition | 23rd FIFA World Cup |
| Hosts | USA 🇺🇸 (11 cities) · Canada 🇨🇦 (2 cities) · Mexico 🇲🇽 (3 cities) |
| Teams | 48 (up from 32) — first expanded edition |
| Total matches | 104 (up from 64 in 2022) |
| Format | 12 groups of 4 → top 2 + best 8 third-placed advance to R32 |
| Opener | Mexico vs South Africa — Estadio Azteca, June 11, 19:00 ET |
| Final | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford NJ, July 19, 15:00 ET |
| Official broadcasters (selected) | FOX, Telemundo (US) · BBC, ITV (UK) · ARD, ZDF (DE) · TF1, M6, beIN (FR) · TVE, Movistar+ (ES) · SVT, TV4, Viaplay (SE) |
Full schedule by stage
The tournament unfolds across seven phases. Group stage runs June 11–27, with knockouts beginning June 28.
| Stage | Dates | Matches | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | Jun 11 – Jun 27 | 72 | All 16 venues |
| Round of 32 | Jun 28 – Jul 3 | 16 | 13 venues (US/CA/MX) |
| Round of 16 | Jul 4 – Jul 7 | 8 | 8 venues |
| Quarter-finals | Jul 9 – Jul 11 | 4 | Boston, Dallas, LA, NY/NJ |
| Semi-finals | Jul 14 – Jul 15 | 2 | Dallas, Atlanta |
| 3rd-place play-off | Jul 18 | 1 | Miami |
| Final | Jul 19 | 1 | New York/New Jersey — MetLife |
All 16 host stadiums
Click any stadium below for ticket availability and the matches it hosts. All ticket links go to StubHub, the verified resale marketplace partnered with FIFA for 2026.
🇺🇸 United States — 11 cities, 78 matches
🇨🇦 Canada — 2 cities, 13 matches
🇲🇽 Mexico — 3 cities, 13 matches
How to buy World Cup 2026 tickets
FIFA's official ticket sales closed for the lottery rounds in early 2026. The two remaining paths to a seat are:
- FIFA Official Resale Platform — opens periodically with face-value resales from people who can no longer attend. Available at fifa.com/tickets. Limited inventory.
- StubHub verified resale — FIFA's official secondary partner. Full inventory across all 104 matches, all 16 stadiums, every section. Verified delivery + buyer protection.
Average ticket prices on the secondary market
| Stage | Cheapest tier | Mid tier | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | $140–$220 | $350–$600 | $900+ |
| Round of 32 | $220–$340 | $450–$800 | $1,400+ |
| Round of 16 | $340–$550 | $700–$1,400 | $2,400+ |
| Quarter-finals | $700–$1,200 | $1,500–$3,000 | $5,500+ |
| Semi-finals | $1,400–$2,800 | $3,500–$6,000 | $11,000+ |
| Final (MetLife) | $2,800–$5,500 | $7,500–$14,000 | $25,000+ |
Prices in USD, observed on StubHub as of May 21, 2026. Fluctuates daily based on demand.
Watch every match in 4K from anywhere
Only ~5 million seats exist across 104 matches. Everyone else watches on TV — and the broadcast rights are split across more than 80 broadcasters worldwide. No single national service carries every match in your preferred language.
IPTV4WorldCup consolidates every World Cup 2026 broadcaster worldwide into one stream — 40,000+ live channels including:
- United States: FOX, FS1, Telemundo, NBC Universo, Univision Deportes
- United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV1, ITVX (all matches free at point of use)
- France: TF1, M6, beIN Sports 1/2/3, Canal+ Sport, RMC Sport
- Spain: TVE La 1, Movistar+, beIN LaLiga, Telecinco
- Germany: ARD, ZDF, MagentaTV (paid), Sky, DAZN
- Italy: RAI 1, Mediaset Italia, DAZN
- Mexico/LatAm: Televisa, TUDN, TV Azteca
- MENA: beIN Sports MENA (Arabic + English)
- Nordics: SVT, TV4, Viaplay, C More
- Netherlands/Belgium: NOS, Ziggo Sport, ESPN, VRT, RTBF
- Plus: 1,500+ 4K HDR channels, 7-day catch-up, EPG in your local timezone
Setup takes 5 minutes on any Smart TV (Samsung Tizen, LG webOS), Firestick, Apple TV, Android Box or phone. Plans start at $7.50/month on annual.
Frequently asked questions
When does the World Cup 2026 start and end?
The tournament runs from Thursday, June 11, 2026 (opening match: Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca) to Sunday, July 19, 2026 (final at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ).
How many teams play in World Cup 2026?
48 teams, divided into 12 groups of 4. This is the first expanded edition (up from 32 teams in 2022 and previous tournaments).
How many matches are there in total?
104 matches — 72 group-stage + 32 knockout matches. This is up from 64 matches in 2022.
Where is the World Cup 2026 final?
The final is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York metropolitan area) on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Capacity: 82,500. The semi-finals are at AT&T Stadium (Dallas) and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta).
How many host cities are there?
16 host cities across three countries: 11 in the United States, 2 in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver), and 3 in Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey).
How can I buy World Cup 2026 tickets?
FIFA's official lottery sales closed in early 2026. Remaining options: FIFA Official Resale (limited inventory at face value) or StubHub verified resale (full inventory, secondary-market prices, buyer protection).
How can I watch World Cup 2026 from another country?
Official broadcasters geo-block their streams — FOX Sports app only works in the US, BBC iPlayer only in the UK, etc. To watch every match worldwide in 4K, with commentary in your preferred language, use an IPTV service like IPTV4WorldCup that aggregates feeds from all 80+ broadcasters.